1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an improved securement of a horseshoe a horse's hoof and more particularly to a horseshoe wherein the upper hoof-engaging surface of the horseshoe is configured with a slip resistant structure in the form of an array of hemi-spherical or dome like protuberances which engage the hoof material to inhibit the shoe from moving relative to the hoof to assist accurate placement when attached thereto and also to interlock with the hoof material when nailed to the hoof wherein to inhibit nail shear during galloping movement.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The major purpose of a horseshoe is to protect the horse's hooves against injury and to aid traction. In a race horse, a properly designed horseshoe is an important piece of equipment which can enhance the horse's racing performance and can add years to the length of the horse's racing career. When a horse is running, its hooves hit the ground with a great deal of impact. This impact is transmitted through the shoed hoof and up through the horse's legs. Unless great care is taken to protect the horse's legs and hooves against impact, the horse can develop sore feet and lame legs due to corns, cracks, and other damage.
Further, it is known that the hooves of a horse exhibit a so-called hoof mechanism, which results in the rear half of the hoof to narrow, when the leg is lifted, and to expand, when the horse puts its leg down. A badly functioning hoof mechanism hampers blood circulation in the foot, which inhibits the formation of a healthy hoof. As such, the horse may experience soreness in its hooves and legs partially because a rigid horseshoe will inhibit the natural deformation of the hoof.
Although the horseshoe must be firmly attached to the hoof, desirably such securement would not impair the normal circulation of the horse's hooves.
Provision of unevenness in the hoof-engaging surface, at least in part, is known as an aid in preventing relative displacement between the hoof and the horseshoe. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. No. 142,097 to Goodenough and U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,411 to Kerckhaert, which patents are specifically incorporated herein.
Goodenough and Kerckhaert teach that the upper hoof engaging surface of a U-shaped horseshoe include a forward toe section, which has an unevenness, and a pair of legs, which extend rearwardly from the toe section and have no unevenness. The unevenness in the toe section prevents relative displacement between the hoof and the horseshoe.
In Goodenough, the unevenness is provided by an array of V-shaped sections, the sections formed by a pair of linear grooves. The V-shaped sections intersect and criss-cross one another to form a grid of square or box shaped indentations.
In Kerckhaert, the unevenness is provided by a plurality of straight parallel grooves, which extend from toe to heel in side-by-side relation, and in parallel relation to a central geometrical axis that bisects the U-shape of the horseshoe. While possibly suitable for the purposes intended, when the curved toe section at the front of the horseshoe impacts with the ground, the series of parallel, side-by-side longitudinally extending grooves may nonetheless permit the nailed connection between the horseshoe and the hoof to be subjected to an unacceptable shearing force (or lateral strain) acting between the toe and the heel.
Additionally, the portion of the hoof to which the horseshoe is attached is fibrous and will readily adapt to the irregularities of the hoof-engaging surface of the horseshoe when impacted thereagainst. An array of parallel side-by-side grooves may not provide support from lateral, transverse, or cross forces acting upon impact. This is believed to be a possible result arising from the fact that an undulating cross-section of like-shaped parallel grooves, in gripped relation with the uneven hoof material, may not uniformly distribute lateral and longitudinal hoof impact forces, combining to form a torque acting on the connection between the hoof and the horseshoe, arising from the horseshoe impacting the ground.
Accordingly, a primary objective of this invention is the provision of an improved horseshoe that obviates the disadvantages in the prior art.
An object of this invention is to provide the hoof engaging surface of a horseshoe with an unevenness which contacts the hoof wherein to lessen the likelihood of relative displacement between the shoe and the hoof, first to improve the ability of the farrier to locate the shoe relative to the hoof, and second to interlock with the hoof material during a gallop to inhibit horizontal forces from shearing the nails which fasten the shoe to the hoof.
An object of this invention is the provision of an anti-slip surface on the ground engaging surface of a horseshoe, the anti-slip surface in the form of an array of separated protuberances or cleats that project upwardly from the surface by a predetermined amount and become embedded into the hoof material.
An object of this invention is the provision of an anti-slip surface in the form of an array or separated like-shaped hemispherical bumps or spikes that project upwardly from a major portion of the hoof engaging surface of a U-shaped horseshoe to engage and displace hoof material around the bumps and create an interlocking interference therewith that inhibits rotation or sliding of the horseshoe relative to the hoof when nailed thereto and when the horse is galloping.